


The Nesting Habits of Magpies

by Casey_Wolfe



Series: Magpie [2]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Mating Bond, Romance, Shapeshifter!Speirs, Shapeshifter!Webster, Shapeshifter!Winters, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-02 23:13:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6586732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/pseuds/Casey_Wolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Keeping Speirs away from shiny objects is hard enough.  The fact they’re still in a middle of a war and somehow Lipton has become Easy’s den mother does nothing to help the situation in the slightest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nesting Habits of Magpies

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently you people liked magpie!Speirs. Who knew? So the last two episodes are totally magpie!Speirs everywhere and I was inspired to write more based off the stuff that happened. Also ended up with a couple other background couples and some new shapeshifters too. ;)

Lipton couldn’t believe his eyes.  Except that he could.  There went Speirs carrying a whole box filled with what appeared to be expensive items.

“Captain!” he called, drawing the man’s attention.  All Lipton did was gesture to the box, the look on his face saying all.  Speirs- the shit- had the nerve to just smile and keep heading in the direction of battalion’s mail division.

Lipton looked over at Major Winters standing next to him.  He gestured towards the retreating Speirs, not even sure what he was asking for.  Maybe sympathy.

Winters shrugged.  “Don’t look at me.  Nix is raiding some wine cellar they found.”

“For the love of-”  Lipton groaned.  “What did we do to deserve this?”

It was rhetorical but Winters pat him on the shoulder and replied all the same, “No idea.”

The only consolation was that if Speirs was too busy chasing shiny war prizes then he wouldn’t be swiping things from the men.  Hopefully it was enough to settle the magpie.  Honestly, Lipton wasn’t counting on it.

They had been together for a couple months now and one thing was certain- the bird was just as unpredictable as the human.

* * *

“ _ Really _ ?” Lipton demanded, watching as his partner gathered up a couple silver trays and some matching candlesticks.

“What?”  Speirs got that sly little smile on his face that was both exasperating and endearing all at the same time.  It was also sexy but like hell Lipton would admit that out loud.  “Finders keepers.”

Lipton threw his head back and groaned.  “What are we?  In middle school?”  He jumped as lips pressed to his throat.  He felt the smile against his skin and couldn’t help but grin in turn, arm slipping easily around Speirs’ waist.  “Behave,” Lipton warned, even though he wasn’t about to let go.

They weren’t exactly in a position to be fooling around.  That was proving to be an ongoing problem what with being shuffled from one place to another every week- sometimes every day as of late.  There hadn’t been anything but stolen kisses and a couple heated make-out sessions in the two months since Haguenau.

Despite wanting more, especially with Speirs’ teeth starting to work at his collarbone, Lipton pushed him away gently.  “Ron,” he warned.  “Anybody could walk in.”

The men may not have cared but they also didn’t need to catch their officers first-hand.  And the higher-ups, well, they would care a lot.  They didn’t have the same sense as the men on the ground.  Lipton had been an NCO going into Normandy though.  He knew what happened at night in foxholes.

“Don’t care,” Speirs replied nonchalantly, kissing his jaw.

“ _ Speirs _ .”  The man huffed at the use of his surname and all but pouted as he pulled away.  “Don’t be like that,” Lipton chided gently, holding his arm.  “I’m just suggesting we take it back to our room.”

Speirs grinned then, saying something about being there shortly as he went out the door with his latest souvenirs.

* * *

“At this rate,” Lipton mused, observing Speirs as he sat on the bed surrounded by all manner of trinkets, “we’re going to be rich by the time we get back to the States.”

“That’s the general idea,” Speirs replied, smiling at the little music box in his hands as it played.

“You are ridiculous,” Lipton concluded.

It wasn’t as though the other men didn’t partake in picking up spoils of war.  Hell, even Lipton had snagged a Luger by that point.  Except Lipton was fairly certain no one took it to the same extremes as Speirs.  Even Peconte with his thing for watches didn’t come close.

Speirs only reached up and grabbed his arm, tugging him to sit on the bed with him.  Lipton grunted, pulling a fork from underneath his ass and making a face at his partner.  Not that it phased Speirs in the least, who smiled brightly and held out his arms.  “I make a pretty good nest if I do say so myself.”

Lipton stared at him in disbelief for a moment before bursting out laughing.  His forehead fell down to Speirs’ shoulder, shaking with the force of his laughter.  “Damn magpies,” he managed between pauses for breath.  “What am I gonna do with you?”

“I have some ideas.”  Lipton swatted him, continuing to laugh.  Speirs lowered his voice, his lips near Lipton’s ear as he confessed, “As long as I make you happy.”

Lipton managed to contain himself, pulling away enough to meet Speirs’ eyes.  “Of course you make me happy.  I…”  It hit him then and there was no point in holding it in.  “I love you.”

Speirs beamed, practically preening.  “I love you too.”

The moment their lips touched was when they heard yelling from downstairs.  “Lipton!  Lieutenant!”

“Lieb?”  Lipton was out the door with Speirs on his heels, taking the stairs two at a time.

The sight that greeted them wasn’t what either expected.  Liebgott was standing in the middle of the CP with what appeared to be a small lynx in his arms.  Liebgott himself was practically frantic, a sight so unusual that it made Lipton even more concerned.

“What in the hell?”

“Sir, I know you’re not gonna believe this,” Liebgott said, breathing heavy.  “But I didn’t know who else to tell and ya gotta do something.”

“Lieb, calm down.  What’s going on?  What is this?”

Liebgott jostled the lynx and said, “This is Web sir.”

Lipton stared at him for a good long while, wondering if he’d heard Liebgott right.  “That,” he asked, pointing to the lynx, “is Webster?”  Liebgott nodded a few times, glancing to Speirs and back again, pleading silently with all his might for them to believe him.

It was Speirs that said, “I wouldn’t have guessed a lynx.”

Lipton spun on him.  “You knew?!”

Speirs just raised a shoulder, the picture of ‘no big deal.’  “I could tell he was some kind of cat, just wasn’t sure the breed.”

Lipton wished that he could say he was surprised but honestly there had been stranger revelations- like the fact Winters was a  _ fucking eagle _ and, oh, he just happened to be mated to Nix.  Thinking on it, it now made sense why Speirs looked at Webster with slight wariness when he thought no one else was watching, as though Webster was someone to keep a close eye on.

Liebgott was looking at Speirs like he had grown another head.  “How could you-?  But…”  He looked at Lipton then, shaking the lynx- Webster- a little.  “How do we fix him?!”

Lipton gestured for Liebgott to pass the lynx over.  “First off, go get his clothes.  We don’t need him to freeze to death when he changes back.”  Liebgott hesitated but then passed Webster to Lipton, much to the cat’s displeasure apparently if the pinprick of claws to Lipton’s arm was anything to go by.  “Private,” Lipton said through clenched teeth, not wanting to move him too much, “if you want to refrain from having your hide tanned I suggest you loosen up on the claws.”

The lynx immediately did as told, even looking apologetic about the whole thing.  Lipton looked up to find Liebgott still standing there.  “Tonight Lieb?”

“Right.”  Snapping to, Liebgott bolted out of the CP on his mission to get the aforementioned clothes.

“ _ You _ ,” Lipton told Webster, “are in big trouble.”  The lynx laid his ears back, looking at Lipton with sad eyes.  “Oh no.  Those are not working on me.”

“Here,” Speirs offered, having grabbed a blanket from the couch.  “Why don’t you shift before Liebgott gets back.”

Lipton set the lynx onto the floor, watching and waiting.  It took a bit but all at once Lipton was staring at human legs instead of a cat.  Speirs quickly threw the blanket around Webster’s shoulders, enveloping his nude form.  “I’m sorry sir,” were the first words out of his mouth.

“What happened?” Speirs inquired.  Sighing, Lipton led the young man to sit on the couch with him.  It was clear Webster was shaken up.

“I haven’t shifted since I got back,” Webster explained.

Already Lipton was seeing how an accident like this had happened.  He knew from Speirs that shifters needed to change pretty regularly.  It was why, he explained, that there were few of them in the military.  After all, it could be difficult to slip away at times, especially in a situation like Bastogne.

Apparently that had been part of the issue with Buck.  As a wolf shifter it was near impossible for the man to go running about the woods while surrounded by the enemy, whereas a bird like Speirs had been able to get away with it easily.  With the wolf being so tightly wound it was no wonder Buck snapped when his closest friends- the men his wolf had no doubt called pack- got blown to pieces in front of him.

“So you went off to shift and Liebgott saw you?” Speirs guessed.

“No.  Well, yes.”  Webster shivered, pulling the blanket closer.  “I was hoping to be able to shift later once it got darker.  But then Lieb and I got into it when I tried to slip away.  He followed me and we were fighting and…  I just shifted.”  Webster looked more like a kicked puppy at the moment than a cat.

“Going so long without shifting and then experiencing strong emotion… that would force a shift in just about anyone.”  Lipton figured Speirs said it more for his benefit than as an effort to comfort but Webster didn’t know that.  He nodded solemnly, apologizing again.

Liebgott returned then, clothes and boots in hand, extra rifle slung over his shoulder.  He was breathing heavy once more, clearly having run all the way to the site of the incident and back.  “I…  Here.”  He handed Webster his things, looking awkward.

Lipton knew they would have to explain but he wasn’t looking forward to it.  “Put yer clothes on Web,” he said gently.  “Don’t need you getting sick.”

Webster nodded, dressing quickly while they all pretended not to notice.  It wasn’t as though they hadn’t all seen each other naked at some point but there wasn’t anything wrong with showing some common decency every now and then.  Webster was shaken up enough.  There was no reason to make him even more uncomfortable.

“Have a seat Liebgott,” Speirs ordered once Webster had finished.  Liebgott sat at Webster’s side, dutifully not looking at him.  “What you’re about to hear, you can’t tell  _ anyone _ .  Do you understand me?”

“This is serious Lieb,” Lipton added from across Webster.  “If you were to say anything you not only put Web’s life in danger but other guys in this Company.”

“That’s why you weren’t surprised,” Liebgott figured.

Lipton nodded.  “This is something really personal.  Shifters only tell the people they’re closest to and for good reason.”

Liebgott nodded.  “I understand Lip.  I won’t tell nobody.  Promise.”  He looked at Webster then, hesitantly reaching out and taking hold of his wrist, drawing Webster’s attention.  “I promise,” he repeated more firmly.

“Thanks,” Webster managed, looking down at his hands as a blush crossed his cheeks.

“So there’s others?” Liebgott asked, looking between Lipton and Speirs.

“That’s their business to tell,” Speirs replied firmly.  Liebgott ducked his head, not about to argue.

“I think the two of you need to talk,” Lipton mentioned.  “Unless you want some help,” he offered to Webster, who shook his head.  “Take my room then.  No one will bother you there.”

“What about you Lieutenant?” Liebgott asked.

“I’ll bunk with Speirs for the night.”

Liebgott grinned.  “Ahh, I knew it.”

“Yeah, yeah, Lieb.  Keep it to yourself, huh?”  Lipton grinned though, unable to help it.

“Go on,” Speirs encouraged.

Liebgott rose, grabbing both rifles again and heading for the stairs, Webster slowly following suit.  “Hey Web,” Lipton called after him, waiting until the man looked at him.  “Make sure you tell him, yeah?  That he’s your mate.”

“How did you…?”

Lipton grinned knowingly.  “Cause you look at him the way Ron looks at me.”  Lipton didn’t need to be a shifter himself to see it.

Some of the tension in Webster’s body eased then.  He gave Lipton a nod before jogging up the stairs to join Liebgott.

“Well,” Speirs mused, “aren’t we sentimental.”

“Shut up you,” Lipton shot back, smiling all the same.  He reached up, grabbing Speirs’ jacket and tugging him down into a bruising kiss.  “Now,” Lipton spoke against his lips, “I believe we have a nest to get back to.”

* * *

“The Eagle’s Nest for an eagle,” Nix mused, pressing a kiss to the back of Dick’s neck.  Lipton bit his lip to hold in the chuckle.

Their little band of officers had gathered on the patio, looking out at the view.  Victory had been declared in Europe but Easy Company still had work to do.  For the time being though they were going to take a little time to enjoy themselves.

Harry was well into the alcohol and thus had no clue what they were talking about.  Even so, Winters swatted at his mate.  “I’ve got a gift for you,” he mentioned all the same, taking hold of Nix’s hand and starting to lead him away.  “Hold the fort Captain.”

“Will do sir.”

Winters popped his head back through the door.  “Oh and Speirs?  Take some time for yourselves, yeah?”

Speirs grinned.  “As you say sir.”

Lipton shook his head, knowing right where this was going.  He bumped Harry with his leg.  “You alright?”  The man hummed in agreement, not even opening his eyes from where he laid back on the lounge chair.  “Alright, well, we’ll be around.”

No sooner had he said it than Speirs was tugging him away.  “There’s bedrooms up this way.”

Most of the men were still down in the town, set up in the hotel, so there wasn’t many people to worry about walking in on them.  All the same, Speirs locked the door behind them of the first bedroom they ran across.

“I’ve been wanting to do this forever,” he breathed before grabbing Lipton’s face and giving him a desperate kiss.  Lipton returned it enthusiastically.

Despite their stolen moments, they still hadn’t been in a position to have sex.  Not that Lipton was up for it in the beginning anyway but he’d long since passed the realization that was what he wanted.  It was always too much of a risk though and so they’d taken what they were able.

Now with the time and privacy to do as they pleased, well, they both knew where things were headed.  Clothing fell in a trail to the rather large and elegant bed, gear hitting the floor along with it.  Lipton pressed his partner to the center of the bed, swallowing a noise of pure want.

“You ever done this with a man before?” Speirs asked, voice husky as he took Lipton’s earlobe in his teeth.

“No,” Lipton breathed.  “You?”

“Yeah.”  Speirs grabbed Lipton close, pulling the man into the v of his body as he spread his legs further.  Lipton groaned, catching the meaning easily.  “Been awhile but I’ll be fine.”  He pressed his lips to Lipton’s temple.  “I need you mate.”

Lipton’s breath caught and he nodded a few times.  “Hold on.”  It pained him to move away but he needed his one pack.  “I traded some replacement for this weeks ago.”  He took some petroleum jelly from his bag, waving it upon his return.  “Will this work?”

“Perfect.”  Speirs gave him a quick kiss, swiping the jar as deftly as he would a shiny object.  “We’ll work up to getting you there, if you want, but right now I want you in me.”

Lipton bit off a groan.  “Fuck… anything right now Ron.  Come on.”

Speirs actually chuckled, a generous amount of jelly on his fingers as he reached around to stretch himself.  Lipton didn’t hesitate to take over that job though, loving the noises he pulled out of Speirs.  The man was laid back on the bed, completely open and free of his usual masks.  If he thought he loved Speirs before, Lipton felt himself falling even deeper in love with him then.

By the time Lipton slid inside his lover- his  _ mate _ \- he was strung tighter than a coiled spring.  They moved together in a rhythm that swayed between slow and sensual to fast and hard and back.

Speirs started to squirm, making a face that looked almost like discomfort.  “You okay?” Lipton asked, lapping his tongue across the sweat on Speirs’ throat.

“Will be.”  Speirs flipped them, groaning loudly as he sunk even further onto Lipton’s dick.  “Fuck,” he hissed.

“Damn Ron.”  Lipton grabbed his hips, holding them together for a long moment.

“Move,” Speirs demanded.  Lipton did, fingers digging into flesh as he started to move again.

They dissolved into moans and pleas, the world falling away as they fell into oblivion together.

Collapsed on top of him, Speirs murmured his name into his neck.  “Carwood…   _ Damn _ .”  Lips brushed against Lipton’s skin.  “I love you.”

Lipton’s arms wrapped around him, holding him close.  “I love you too.”  He pressed a kiss to Speirs’ temple, the magpie adjusting to lock their lips in a lazy kiss.

Neither of them had talked about making a plan for after the war was over.  Now that they were facing just that, they knew they would need to talk things through.  But no matter what decisions they made, they both knew that where their future laid was together.

/End

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/).


End file.
